Tottenham Hotspur are ready to restart contract talks with Gareth Bale this
week but are facing the prospect of another bid from Real Madrid as the race
to secure the future of the Wales international intensifies.

Wanted: Spurs plan new talks with Gareth Bale after Real Madrid returned with a new offer for the WelshmanPhoto: ACTION IMAGES

Daniel Levy, the Spurs chairman, quit his family holiday in Florida to fly back to London and is expected to approach Bale’s representatives in the next few days over a deal worth about £170,000 a week and is determined to snub offers from Madrid, despite already receiving and rejecting a world-record £81 million bid.

Telegraph Sport understands that contract talks reached a stalemate months ago even though Andre Villas-Boas, the manager, insisted last week that negotiations were ongoing but Spurs will step up their attempts to persuade Bale to stay at White Hart Lane for at least another season.

Bale is fully aware of the interest from Madrid, however, and Carlo Ancelotti is poised to make another blockbuster offer which could include players such as Fabio Coentrao and Ángel di María as part of the deal.

He is disillusioned by Spurs’ fierce rearguard action and Villas-Boas is also growing increasingly concerned that Madrid’s persistence, and the apparent impasse between the club and Bale’s representatives, could result in the winger leaving White Hart Lane in the next few weeks.

After the 6-0 victory against South China on Saturday Villas-Boas was repeatedly questioned about Bale’s future but cut a downbeat figure and neglected to expand on the issue, refusing to even acknowledge the bid from Madrid.

Levy has consistently reiterated to Villas-Boas that he would not sell Bale this summer and is believed to have had further talks to assure him over the past 48 hours.

Spurs arrived back in London on Sunday after flying back from Hong Kong, though Bale did not play in both matches in the Asia Trophy due to a muscle problem.

He could play against Monaco in a friendly this weekend but the saga is set to escalate before then, with Spurs seemingly facing a losing battle to keep him in the capital.

David Pleat, a former Tottenham manager, is convinced that Levy will still enhance his reputation as one of the toughest negotiators in European football and maintain his stance.

He told Talksport: “Tottenham have control and the final say and they will decide if he goes. I don’t think there’s the panic from the club’s point of view that there seems to be in the media. The club mustn’t bow to the pressure from outside.

“But they were talking £50million, £60million earlier in the summer. This could rise to something crazy like £100 million, which would blow any club out of the water.

“At that stage, even Tottenham, who have resisted strongly, may have to look at it. How do you resist that type of money? Manchester United couldn’t resist it for Ronaldo.”

Villas-Boas also has other headaches with which to contend. After missing out on Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke, who signed a new contract after weeks of uncertainty, Villas-Boas’s pursuit of Valencia forward Roberto Soldado remains a priority and negotiations between the two clubs are ongoing, with Spurs required to break their transfer record to sign the Spain international.

Valencia are demanding around £26 million for Soldado, a fee that would eclipse the £17million Spurs paid to Corinthians for Paulinho this month.

Tottenham are sending defender Adam Smith to Derby County on loan for the season. Nigel Clough, the Derby manager, has moved for the England under-21 international after the £2million sale of John Brayford to Cardiff City.

Summer's big targets

Gareth BaleSpurs to Real Madrid Madrid’s determination to sign Bale is set to escalate this week and a world record bid could even turn Daniel Levy’s head. Rating 4/5

Cesc FabregasBarcelona to Man Utd David Moyes has conceded he may abandon his attempts to sign Fabregas. Barca have insisted he is not for sale. 3/5

Wayne RooneyMan Utd to Chelsea A deal for Jose Mourinho’s sole summer target could possibly go through after Chelsea’s trip to Old Trafford on Aug 26. 4/5

Luis SuarezLiverpool to Arsenal Arsène Wenger, ready to table another bid this week, hopes to persuade Liverpool into a sale, possibly before this weekend. 3/5